Greg Hinz On Politics

Durbin steps up Canadian National attack over Amtrak delays

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is stepping up his attack on Canadian National Railway Co. for its alleged role in delaying Chicago's Amtrak service.

In a letter to the Surface Transportation Board released on Friday, Mr. Durbin asked the federal regulator to "investigate and enforce" the violation of federal on-time rules.

Federal law requires that Amtrak trains that run on privately owned track generally arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time at least 80 percent of the time. But Amtrak's City of New Orleans train, which travels south via Carbondale, was on time only 58 percent of the time last year, the passenger railroad says, largely due to conflicts with CN freight trains.

Amtrak earlier this year filed a formal complaint with the STB, and the matter now is in mediation.

"We are committed to help Amtrak performance. We believe that is best accomplished by a collaborative approach," CN spokesman Patrick Waldron says. "There are issues that both sides have to work through."

But Mr. Durbin has been on CN's case for a while, and shows no sign of backing off, mediation or not.

"I strongly encourage STB to use its authority under (the law) to investigate and enforce (federal) standards where a railroad fails to meet the 80 percent threshold," he wrote board Chairman Daniel Elliott III.

"Reliable service is vital to the continued success of Amtrak and passenger rail transportation, and it is up to STB to ensure that (federal) standards are being met," he added.

Amtrak is seeking financial compensation from CN, which receives a $28 million annual state subsidy for Amtrak service in Illinois.